Assessments of Public's Perceptions of Their

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) ASSESSMENTS OF PUBLIC’S PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR SATISFACTIONS TO THEIR PARTICIPATING ACTIVITIES ON THE LOTUS THROWING (RUB BUA) FESTIVAL TOWARD CULTURAL HERITAGE OF BANG PHLI COMMUNITIES IN THE 80TH IN 2015 “ONE OF THE WORLD: ONLY ONE OF THAILAND‖

Maj. Gen. Utid Kotthanoo, Prasit Thongsawai, Daranee Deprasert, and Thitirut Jaiboon Southeast Bangkok College, Bang Na, Bangkok, Thailand 10260 Tel: +66 (0)8 4327 1412 Fax: +66 2 398 1356

ABSTRACT: This research is reported an important of the favorite festivals in Thailand, which is the lotus throwing (Rap Bua) festival in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan. This is basically what happens as countless thousands of local public line the banks of Samrong Canal to throw lotus flowers onto a boat carrying a replica of the famous Buddha image Luang Poh To. The aims of this research are to describe for assessing public’s perceptions of their participants who go to Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai which, for obvious reasons, has the best atmosphere, to compare between public’s perception of their gender of their satisfactions to the entire route from start to finish of the boat carrying the Buddha image wasn’t scheduled to pass the front of Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai toward their participated activities. Associations between public’s participating activities and their satisfied of the lotus throwing (Rap Bua) festival were assessed. Using the qualitative data with interview, observation, and participated memberships’ activities were designed. Internal consistency Cronbach alpha statistics were generated with the quantitative data from the 10-item Questionnaire on Satisfaction Inventory (QSI) was validated of 0.88. Statistically significant between public’s perceptions of their different gender; scale means scores for male’s and female’s perceptions of the participants of this festival were to investigate if QSI questionnaire had the ability to non-differentiate significantly. Associations were found between various measures of public’s participating Rab Bud festival to their satisfactions of their participants, the R2 value indicate that 58% of the variance in their satisfaction assessments also was found. These factors appear to be affecting public of 1,382 persons who were satisfied for predicting the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the academic year B.E. 2558 for following celebrative event arrangement of Bang Phli cultural communities are managed.

KEYWORD: Assessment, Bang Phli Cultural Communities, Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) Festival, the Academic Year B.E. 2558, celebrative event arrangement

INTRODUCTION

Samut Prakan is a central economic province of Thailand whereas established by surrounding the four provinces which came into force in 1946. This province was created during the Ayuttaya period, with its administrative centre at Prapadaeng. It was the sea port of Siam, and was secured with forts, town moats, and town walls. Altogether six forts were built on both sides of the Chao Phraya River, and on an island in the river the Pagoda, Phra Samut Chedi, was erected that it’s located the mouth of the Chao Phraya River on the Gulf of Thailand. Thus the province is also sometimes called Pak Nam. The part of the province on the west

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) side of the river consists mostly of rice paddies and shrimp farms as well as mangrove forests, while the eastern part is the urban centre, including industrial factories. The urbanization on both sides of the provincial boundary is identical. The province has a coastline of approximately 47.2 kilometers in area of 1,004.092 square kilometers. Overall on population was contained of 1,261,530 (2015), the provincial slogan is “Marine Battle Fortresses, Chedi in the Water, Crocodile Farm, Exquisite Ancient City, Phra Pradaeng Songkran Festival, Tasty Dried Snakeskin Gourami, Rap Bua Festival, Industrial Estate‖. The province is subdivided into six districts. Focusing on an important district, Bang Phli itself is also a subdistrict municipality which covers parts of the tambon Bang Phli Yai, Bang Pla and Bang Chao Long subdistricts.

Bang Bu

1. Mueang District 4. Prapradaeng 2. Bang Bor 5. Bang Soa Thong 3. Bang Phli 6. Pra Samut Jedee Erawan Elephant Museum

Position of Sumut Prakarn

SamRong Asokaram Temple Canal Ancient City Figure 1. Location and Places for Tourist in Samut Parkarn

Bang Phli Cultural festival as composes with folk wisdom and cultural heritage that have been exchanged among public of different ethnic origins. Bang Phli is famous for the annual Lotus Flower (Rap Bua) festival, which takes venue on the last day of Vassa on the fourteenth day of the waxing moon in the eleventh lunar month, usually the full moon in October. A boat carrying a replica of the Luang Poh To Buddha statue from the temple Wat Bang Pli is moved along the main canal of the district. The public at the banks of the canal throw lotus flowers onto the boat, as donating lotus flowers to Buddha is merit-making. The barge processions of Luang Pho To at Wat Bang Phli Yai on Samrong Canal in the Rap Bua festival at the floating market using ships for at least 90 years and the first engine ship on Samrong Canal as well as local fishing gears.

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) Festival The Lotus Throwing Festival’s roots are thought to have been sewn by the many Mon public who settled in Samut Prakan province, just south of Bangkok, after fleeing their war-torn homeland in what’s now southern Burma during the 1700s. In the old days, Bang Phli residents received festival-goers by offering them the freshly picked lotuses that thrived in the area. Rab means ―to receive‖, though the festival has also become known as Yon Bua, or ―Throw Lotus‖, for obvious reasons. In front of Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai along the Samrong Canal in Bang Phli district, the festival still takes venue in a frenzy of lotus tossing each year.

Advertising environments of Rab Bua Boat Invitation Lotus on water Festival

Activities and Mass of Public who were participated in surrounding the canal in front of Bang Yai Nai Temple

Luang Pho Toh sat on the boat which cover with the million lotus Sampling one of flowers activities

Figure 2. The environment activities of the 80th Bang Phli cultural communities through Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the Academic Year B.E. 2558 for following celebrative event

Rab Bua coincides with Awk Phansa (literally: ―Out of the Rains‖), a Thai holiday marking the time when monastics are free to travel again after spending the monsoon months in study and meditation. Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai houses Luang Phor Toh, a sacred Buddha image that’s said to have miraculously floated down the Chao Phraya river centuries ago. During the festival, a replica of the image is taken for a morning cruise along the canal, symbolizing the re-emergence of the monastic community after the rains.

Three days of festivities includes folk theatre, beauty contests, a boat decorating competition, boat racing and a rowboat tug-of-war among other activities. The main event is an elaborate floating procession that gets underway early by 07:00 — on the final day and features intricately decorated wooden boats rowed by local public in traditional Thai costumes. Thick

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) crowds throw lotuses at all of the boats, but everyone makes sure to have a handful ready as the one carrying Luang Phor Toh gets close.

Historical Rab Bau festival was begun with a sacred Buddha image that it was built up from the public who have taken settlement at the Bang Phli agricultural field were developed at the three canal intersections, namely, Salode, Choud Rak Koa, and Lad Kra Bang canals. Relationships between public livelihood and their water canal are gotten of their careers with on a boat and separated to their vocational agriculture. In this discovery, a group of Mon was evidenced at the northern watershed from Paladphieng to Bang Keaw Noi and Mai intersection canals. After they was going on transplant rice seedlings rice in May – September, successfully, these agriculturists would move back to Prapadaeng village and moved to settlement at along Lad Kra Pang canal bank in short rainy season.

Public Faithful on Luang Phor Toh The faithful nudge and stretch to grab as many lotuses as they can from centrally located flower bins. Even after living in tightly packed Bangkok for a few years, this was one of the most crowded scenes having experienced. Expect a fair bit of good-natured jostling. When Luang Phor Toh is finally within striking distance, the scene resembles a small, happy riot where lotuses fly rather than tear gas. The crowd pulses closer to the canal. A few public take an unexpected dip. Hundreds of lotuses are heaved into the air.

As the golden Buddha approaches, the revelers pause to hold lotuses up to their foreheads while making a wish or prayer. It’s believed that if your lotus lands on Luang Phor Toh’s lap, your wish are bound to come true. Any direct hit means good luck is on the way. To gain optimal odds, the most serious festival-goers fill up longtail boats with mounds of lotuses and chase Luang Phor Toh down the canal, flinging as they go.

In this academic year B.E. 2558, the Lotus Throwing Festival was the 80th celebrative arrangement during on 23-26 October for the B.E. 2558 in the three venues, such as; Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang, and Bang Phli District Office that it’s meanwhile as the previous festival in the past, similarly. For example, there are three days of festivities includes with Luang Phor Toh boat parade, boating offer food to monks, folk theatre with three tribesmen, beauty contests, a boat decorating competition, boat racing and a rowboat tug-of-war among other activities whose were Mon, Laos, and Thai original Bangphli settlements. An important of this festival, the Ministry of Culture is accepted and National local wisdom asset.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Aims 1. To observe and participate of public who were walk in the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the academic year B.E. 2558. 2. To compare on gender differences in the perceptions of the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) environments festival in the academic year B.E. 2558. 3. To associate between publics’ perceptions of their participating activities and their satisfied cultural celebrative event arrangement of the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival.

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) Research Procedures Using the 10-item Questionnaire on Satisfaction Inventory (QSI) and General Independent data were as followed for assessing public’s perception of their participating activities and their satisfied cultural celebrative event arrangement of the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the academic year B.E. 2558 during from 23 to 26 October, B.E. 2558. The researcher teams were going on this festival for observing, interviewing, and collecting data from the research instrument with themselves.

In terms of activity events at Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai includes of worship on Luang Phor Toh, opening ceremony participant, a boat decorating competition, and boat racing and a rowboat tug-of-war among other activities. Activity event at Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang includes of participated singing contests and at Bang Phli District Office includes that it was followed as: culture yard activities include of Bang Phli populations of their way of life, bower of sustainable economic, the farmer way of life, and the way of life of Mon. Activities of the Lotus Throwing Festival were answered problems of the Lotus Throwing Festival activity. Students’ performance activities, consequently was musical Thai folk, Higher Educational performance, and Mini concert were performances. Generally the competition activities; belaying and eating porridge tie papaya salad, the casing coconut, and football match. Exhibition activities indicated at that OTOP product was attributable to participants’ perceptions, other product, and attributably local product.

Sample Size The aims of this assessment are to recognize achievements for improving and arranging event efficiently. Quantitative data with participants’ perceptions of their Lotus Throwing Festival on venue, participating activities, event’ activities, and event’ successful were assessed. The 40-students from Bangkok campus; South Eastern University were administered and trained on research procedure for supporting data corrections which sample consisted of 2,400 copies from the three venue where as the events of participant of this festival. Most of the 2,383 copies were going on using sample random that it’s indicated of 99.29%, completely.

Data Analyses General Independent data of the sample size was analyzed with the percentage, such as; gender, age, participating accounting years. Public who were to at this festival were assessed of their perceptions in Group Activities at Wat Bang Phli Yai, Bang Phli Klang, and Bang Phli District Office. The Questionnaire on Satisfaction Inventory (QSI) approximated a 5- point ranking scale, internal consistency reliabilities (alpha coefficients) were computed for each of the derived factors analysis as specified in Researchers’ Team. A series of analyses of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the participated public at this festival data obtained for the QSI to investigate the sensitivity to different gender with t-test. Associations between public’s perceptions of their participated festival and their satisfactions were assessed with simple and multiple correlations, predictive efficiency value with the Liner Regression Satisfactions (R2).

RESULTS

Validity and Reliability of the Research Instrument In this study, it was also considered important to investigate associations between public’s perceptions of their participated Rub Bua festival environments with their satisfactions. The Cronbach alpha reliability of the selected QSI was 0.88.

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) General Data Background The results of these findings were to administer of sampling participant of 2,383 persons, to be provided of 42.7 as male and 57.3 was female. Most of age sampling random was 21-30 years (30.2%) and 23.9% of age was less than 20 years old, and on this situation was shown of 7.7% indicated that higher than 50 years old, consequently. Most of public who were often participated at the first time revealed of 28.6%, and public who used to participate for the second time evidence of 23.8%, especially, public who also were participated continuing in 5 years showed of 23.0%, interestingly.

In terms of venue context, it was found that most of public who were tourist and used to participate and take themselves in the Lotus Throwing Festival of their activities at Bang Phli Yai Nai indicated evidence of 83.0% and followed as walking street, Bang Phli Ancient market, boating, and looking at light and sound, consequently. Focusing on Bang Phli District Office, research committee group was designed to manage activities that followed as time schedule of the Organizing Committee were controlled.

1. Activity Event at Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai includes of worship on Luang Phor Toh (60.0), opening ceremony participant (31.9%), a boat decorating competition (18.6%), boat racing and a rowboat tug-of-war among other activities. 2. Activity Event at Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang includes of participated singing contests (31.3). 3. Activity Event at Bang Phli District Office includes that it was followed as: 3.1 Culture yard activities include of Bang Phli populations of their way of life (39.4%), bower of sustainable economic (11.5%), the farmer way of life (10.3) and the way of life of Mon (9.5%). 3.2 Activities of the Lotus Throwing Festival were answered problems of the Lotus Throwing Festival activity (18.2%). 3.3 Students’ performance activities were included of 23.4%, consequently was musical Thai folk (22.6%), Higher Educational performance was 12.0%, and Mini concert of 11.1%, responsibility. 3.4 In terms of competition, belaying and eating porridge tie (19.4%), papaya salad (17.8%), the casing coconut, and football match (5.8%) 3.5 Exhibition activities indicated at that OTOP product was attributable to participants’ perceptions of 33.7%, other product was of 11.7% and attributable local product of 10.0%, consequently. In terms of venue area events, such as; Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang, and Bang Phli District Office were administered and arranged. Public who were interested into the Lotus Throwing Festival whereas organized themselves to visit at the walking street (50.3%), Bang Phli Ancient market was of 27.8%, to give food offerings to a Buddhist monks indicated of 17.8%, to take in boating for watching show of light and sound of 12.0%, and Thai massage demonstration revealed of 8.6%, interestingly. 4. Public’s Satisfaction on Participating Exhibitors the Lotus Throwing Festival 4.1 Overall on average means scores of participant exhibitors of their satisfaction were followed as high evidence level to their successes’ responses of 4.19, attributably. 4.2 Consequently participant exhibitors of their satisfaction were following as: 1) The aims of arranging event 2) The three venues whereas Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang, and Bang Phli District Office were interested.

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) 3) To create partnerships with the local community were accepted 4.3 Improvements of exhibition ought to arrange that following as: 1) Public Relation planning (PR event) 2) Number of events organized 3) Thinking framework of events organized 4) Activity Concordances of events organized

Comparisons between Gender Differences of their Participating Rub Bua Festival. Using the QSI to compare means of t-test tentative revealed gender differences in public’s perceptions of their participated at the Rub Bua festival, satisfactions toward Bang Phli culture, and festival activities. However, the mean scores of male’s and female’s responses of their perceptions of 4.8103 and 4.1846 which as non-significant, differently (see in Table 1).

Table 1. Scale Means, Standard Deviation, Cronbach Alpha Reliability, t-test, ANOVA Results for the 10-item QSI Scale N Means Standard Cronbach’s t-test ANOVA Significant Deviation alpha Results reliability (eta2) Male 1,018 4.1803 5.79 0.89 -0.17 0.03 0.86 Female 1,365 4.1846 5.48 0.87 *Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed) Table 1 shows QSI could be used as either a predictor or an outcome variable depending upon the research aims being responses; it may also be satisfied similarly.

Associations between Public’s Perceptions of their Participating Activities and their Satisfactions of the 80th Bang Phli Cultural Communities through Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) Festival In this study, it was also considered important to investigate associations between public’s perceptions of this study also indicate that using the QSI helps of public who were tourist and used to participate and take activity themselves in the Lotus Throwing Festival of their activities at Bang Phli Yai Nai indicated and followed as walking street, Bang Phli Ancient market, boating, and looking at light and sound, consequently. These involved simple correlation and multiple regression analyses of relationships between the set of actual environment scales as a whole and the QSI that it’s reported in Table 2. Table 5. Associations between the Means of Public’s Participating Activities and the QSI in Term of Simple and Multiple Correlations (R) and Standardized Regression Coefficient (β). Means of Public’s Participating Activities Simple Correlation Attitude Standardized Regression (r) Weigh Attitude(β) The 10-item of the QSI 0.21** 0.26** Multiple Correlation (R) 0.7602** Predictive Efficiency Value 0.5779** (R2) *Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed) **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) ***Correlation is significant at the 0.001 level (2-tailed)

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) In Table 2, a main method of data analysis was used to investigate this participating-satisfied relationship. The sample correlation values (r) are reported which show statistically significant correlations (p<0.05) between public outcomes and their participating activities and their satisfactions of the 80th Bang Phli cultural communities through Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival environments. This association is positive for the QSI their participants where public perceived greater satisfactions. The sample correlation values (r) are reported which does not show statistically significant correlations between public satisfactions’ outcomes and their participating activities of this festival environments. The multiple correlations R were significant for the QSI and show that when the items are considered together there are significant associations with the participated festival activities. The R2 value indicated that 58% of the variance in public’s perceptions to their participating activities and their satisfactions. These factors appear to be affecting public of 1,382 persons who were satisfied for predicting the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the academic year B.E. 2558 for following celebrative event arrangement of Bang Phli cultural communities are managed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study was to conclude for assessing the 80th Bang Phli Cultural Communities through Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) Festival whereas an important favorite festival in Thailand, it is the Rap Bua Festival in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan. Normally, public usually go every year now. In English, the festival translates as "Lotus Receiving Festival". However, it has another name in Thai which public think describes it more accurately. This is "Yon Bua Festival" which translates as the "Lotus Throwing Festival". Basically, Public who have happened as countless thousands of local public line the banks of Samrong Canal to throw lotus flowers onto a boat carrying a replica of the famous Buddha image Luang Poh To. Most public go to Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai which, for obvious reasons, has the best atmosphere. But you can also watch the boat parade from Bang Phli Old Market, the District Office and Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang. Following close behind were about five or six large colorful floats. Some were being towed while others had its’ own rowers all wearing traditional Thai costumes.

Researcher team was designed to administer of this research procedure while these are often used as standardized methodology into qualitative and quantitative research methods. However, this paper is reported only quantitative data for identify public who need and have a idea of what to their satisfactions and participating the 80th Bang Phli cultural communities through Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the Academic Year B.E. 2558 for following celebrative event arrangement. The results of these finding are to fit a linear model using regression analysis, ANOVA, which analyzed to determine how well the model fits the data. To presents a variety to explore the R-squared (R2) statistic. Differentiated gender was not showed statistically significant between male’s and female’s perceptions of their satisfactions to their participated activities at this festival. Importantly, public who were responded of 1,382 of 2,383 persons to satisfy for predicting the 80th Lotus Throwing (Rab Bua) festival in the academic year B.E. 2558 for following celebrative event arrangement of Bang Phli cultural communities are managed, successfully.

Research Implementations The Lotus Throwing Festival at Bang Phli District is local cultural festival activities attributably; the boat parks in front of Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, allowing for one last chance to hit Luang Phor Toh with a lotus. A path is cleared through the thick crowd as the replica

International Journal of Asian History Culture and Tradition Vol 3, No.2, pp. 21-29, August 2016 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) Buddha image is carried back to its usual resting venue. Everyone gathers round to take pictures as if this inanimate statue were Tom Cruise. Public add a million lotus flowers, lots of food, a little alcohol, endless other colorful boats and thousands of onlookers who frantically throw flowers from the side of a canal? It’s the Lotus Throwing Festival, or Rab Bua, held annually on Awk Pansa day. The exact dates depend on the moon but usually fall in September or October, to welcome to this Lotus Throwing Festival, amazingly.

REFFERENCES

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